Ukraine needs Western support in the amount of $42 billion, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said. According to him, these funds can be allocated next year under the EU Ukraine Facility program, the IMF, as well as the United States and other allies. As Shmygal noted, the Kiev regime requested the same amount for 2023. At the same time, the issue of financing Ukraine becomes extremely acute for the West. Thus, a number of congressmen do not approve of the allocation of tranches to Kyiv. The American media write that assistance to the Kyiv regime may stop. There is talk about the same thing in Europe. According to experts, Ukraine requires a new portion of funding, since it is not able to function independently. But the economic difficulties of the West and the internal political situation in the United States may lead to a weakening of assistance to Kyiv, which will inevitably affect the economy of Ukraine and its combat capability.
Ukraine requires Western support worth $42 billion, Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said.
“Just like this year, next year we need financial support from partners in the amount of about $42 billion. We already understand where these funds can come from. This is the EU Ukraine Facility program, this is the help of the United States, this is the IMF program and the help of our friends and partners,” Shmygal noted.
According to him, $42 billion corresponds to the deficit included in the draft Ukrainian budget for next year.
For 2023, the Kyiv authorities also requested about $42 billion from international partners, of which $30 billion have already been received, as Shmygal reported on September 9. According to him, the assistance provided by the allies helped Kyiv pay for the expenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian prime minister explained that the Kyiv regime “has specific agreements on long-term financing” with the IMF, EU, Norway, Japan “and other G7 countries.”
As stated earlier in the Verkhovna Rada, since February 2022, the Kiev regime has received $60 billion in loans and grants from international partners. This was reported by Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak. According to him, in terms of the level of support, the United States is in first place, which allocated $20.43 billion, the EU – $19.39 billion, and the IMF – $6.29 billion.
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In total, according to Washington, since February 24, 2022, the United States has allocated almost $111 billion for the needs of Kyiv. We are talking about military, economic and humanitarian assistance. Of this amount, $101.2 billion has already been spent, as evidenced by a copy of the response published by Fox News from the head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, to Republican senators who demanded a report on spending on Ukraine.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Bärbock also reported for the same period. She reported that Germany has allocated €22 billion to Ukraine since February last year for military and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv. According to her, Berlin ranks second after Washington in providing support to the Kyiv regime. Bärbock added that German authorities will continue to help Ukraine “as long as needed.”
As military expert Yuri Knutov said, despite the colossal financial and other tranches already made by the West, Kyiv continues to “demand injections,” while speaking “completely unceremoniously” about its allies.
“The Ukrainian authorities are behaving impudently and defiantly, demanding another portion of funding. It was especially significant that Zelensky recently threatened the European Union with an unpredictable reaction from Ukrainian refugees in the EU if the West begins to cut aid to Ukraine. Western politicians clearly don’t like these ultimatum statements,” Knutov said in a conversation with RT.
As political scientist Ivan Konovalov noted in turn, Ukraine is asking the United States and other Western countries for colossal sums, since it “can no longer function” on its own.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal © CC BY 4.0 / Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
“The Kyiv regime has big appetites, because the situation for Ukraine looks quite critical: without international financial assistance there will simply be nothing to pay pensions and salaries, not to mention the conduct of hostilities. Kyiv is again asking for about $42 billion, although it understands that in 2024 it will be given much less. Some American senators and congressmen have clearly outlined their position – they will not vote for any assistance to Ukraine,” the expert explained in a commentary to RT.
“Block Help”
Let us recall that on September 19, Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy told reporters that he does not intend to guarantee Vladimir Zelensky a new round of funding and will demand accountability for the assistance Washington has already provided to Kyiv.
“Has Zelensky been elected to Congress? Is he our president? I’m not going to promise anything. I have questions for him – where is the accountability for the money that we have already spent, what is the plan to achieve victory. I think this is what the American public wants to know,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.
As Bloomberg previously reported, disputes over financing Kyiv could paralyze the work of the US government. The fact is that McCarthy’s recent proposal to avoid a shutdown has encountered “stubborn resistance from ultra-conservatives” whose votes he needs for the initiative to be adopted.
“Conservative critics are demanding changes (in McCarthy’s plan – RT), aimed, among other things, at deepening spending cuts, defunding the investigation into Donald Trump and blocking aid previously provided to Ukraine,” writes Bloomberg.
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As The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) notes, if the Ukrainian government fails to cover its budget deficit, it will not be able to finance its military efforts. According to the publication, already now, in order to ensure the planned increase in military spending by 50%, the Kiev authorities are selling military bonds to corporations and individuals, lobbying for the restructuring of existing debts and receiving assistance from other countries. However, it is unclear how long military support from European and US states will last, especially if the White House is occupied by Republicans in 2024, WSJ journalists write.
It is also possible that European countries will stop financing Ukraine. Thus, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Radio Kossuth that the risk of economic collapse could force the EU to stop helping the Kyiv regime.
“I think that the destruction of the economic situation will be the decisive factor that will force the governments of the EU countries to join the “peace camp” and end the war as soon as possible, because Ukraine cannot fight this war if we do not give it weapons and a lot of money,” RIA Novosti quotes him.
“They will give much less”
As Yuri Knutov believes, Western media data about possible problems of the United States and other countries with financing Ukraine are justified.
“The United States national debt has exceeded $33 trillion, and it frightens many Americans. This card will be played again during the election campaign, accusing the current administration of unnecessary spending, including on Ukraine. Of course, they will not completely stop aid to Kyiv, but the delay in trenches could be very serious. It will affect the supply of weapons to the front. The program for rearmament of the Ukrainian army to NATO standards may be reduced,” the analyst said.
American military assistance for the Armed Forces of Ukraine AP © Senior Airman Stephani Barge/US Air Force
At the same time, new tranches will not change the situation on the battlefield, Ivan Konovalov is sure.
“Previously, Ukraine was given colossal sums of money, which did not help it in the same failed summer counter-offensive. Now the volume of assistance will be less: it is obvious that they will not change anything,” the analyst is convinced.
Knutov admitted that supply disruptions could result in a quick defeat of the Ukrainian army. According to him, funding for the Kyiv regime will last until the upcoming US presidential elections in 2024.
“Then the question will arise bluntly. We are talking about supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine with weapons, and the Ukrainian economy as a whole with money. After all, the economic situation in this country is getting worse, there is no return, and the counter-offensive is failing. These problems could lead to a reduction in aid from the West, where many countries are now facing economic difficulties of their own. It is quite possible that they will gradually create their own coalition against financing Ukraine,” he concluded.
